, 1887-11-13
AT THE TERMINUS.
The Abrupt Ending of the Cheyenne
& Northern
In the Depths of the Platte River
Canyon.
Official Trip Made There BY the
Commissioners.

UIIlIliSSlUU6 o..
At 1870 O'Clock yesterday morning the
Cheyenne 4 Northern train pulled out
from the Union Pacific depot. To the
rear end was attached the private car of
Superintendent Wurtele in which were
gathered a party of gentlemen who, by
invitation, were to view the full extent of
the road so far as completed.
Before the last twenty-five of the l25
miles of the road are received and the last
payment of $50, 900 in bonds made, it was
necessary that the county commissioners
make a formal view of the road. As is
usual in such cases a party of thirty or
forty others is invited to go on the excur-
sion and aid the commissioners and rail
road officials in placing the creature com
forts where they will do the most good.
Among those in attendance yesterday
we're Commissioners H. B. Kelly, John
Hunton and Thomas Swan, Fl. Haas,
Bert Richie, F. w. Lafrentz, D. Nc
Ulvan, M. NJ. Mason, Il. A. Slack, r. G.
Morris, w. p. Carroll, Secretary Shan
non, Governor Moonlight. Judge Magin-
mis-, Col. Murrin, A. H. Reel, Marshal
Schnitger, j. E. futile, George Masten,
E. Nagle. George A. Draper, John Har-
rington, Col. Ofiey, t. Dyer, J. D. Corey,
E. j. Churchill, VIM. Guiterman, Tom
Rutledge, j. G. Cropsey, Gibson Clark,
j. X. Jeffrey, Fl. L. Teschemacher, Us.
Titcomb, George W. Hoyt, DIR. Wyman,
F. S. Hebard, A. H. Ball and A. R.
johnson. The railroad men consisted of
Superintendent Wurtele, G. X. Baunis-
ter, chief engineer, and r. s. Ryan, the
contractor.
A very fair rate of speed was main.
tanned during the whole trip to the Platte.
The stops were very ~infrequeut and those
made were of brief duration. For The
full l25 miles the road is lined almost I'M
interruptedly with strings of wire fences.
Houses of p%retentious modern designs are
scattered along the whole route. Within
the fences high grade or full blooded
cattle were to be seen in great number.
bitches marked the ground on every hand
and the effect of the water was conspicu-
ously noticeable in many fine meadows.
Chug shows great changes since last
year and the place is expected to improve a
great dealin the coming year because many
supplies aredrawn from thereby the people
living in the surrounding country. Bor-
deaux is completely transformed by its
immense frame hotel, stables and other
buildings. IVA, the tow recently plat
ted on the Laramie river, is beginning to
put on some airs and the buildings already
erected there are very attractive in ap.
pearance. The last station on the road
at present is Cottonwood on the farther
bankIof the Platte. A graceful but power
fully built bridge spans the broad ex-
panse of the Platte at this point and leads
to a fine level site with a background of
stern looking cliffs rising abrupt
ly in the distance. The off
cial name of this town is Cottonwood.
though it has not yet been plated. The
location is beautiful and will form the
practical termination of the road for the
winter. 1t is 1913 miles from Cheyenne.
A very short distance beyond the pretty
Platte canyon shows its yawning front
with the broad, blue, but shallow river
flowing peacefully through it at its lowest
stage. The road bed hugs the precipitous
side of the canyon, which towers high
above 1t, the mass surmoupted with huge
square blocks of stone. The site is a
very romantic one, even in the desolation
of autumn. The road runs up the canyon
two miles and 1000 feet beyond the pro-
iected town. The work was completed
last Wednesday, ~tracklaying having been
DELAYED a month through the heavy
blasting necessary to prepare the road
bed.
Beginning tomorrow trains will be run
to Cottonwood, making the round trip
each day.
The question of getting out of the can
yon is not regarded as a serious one bv
the engineers. as the river energies into
the open a few miles beyond the present
terminus.
The round trip from Cheyenne to the
end of the track was made in the time
which interviewed between 7:3O a. IN. and
$50 p. IN. The road bed is in most cx.
cellent condition, and everyone who made
the trip yesterday keenly enjoyed it. The
provisions for the comfort of the quests
were superb in extent, variety and ser
vice.